Relatives

There are 18 penguin species. Southern rockhopper penguins are the only species that will dive into the ocean feet first rather than head first.

Family life

Rockhoppers return to the same breeding site each year and even use the same nest when possible. They are known to breed in colonies of up to 100,000 birds! The breeding season begins in October. Females lay two eggs in November. After about 33 days of incubation, the chicks hatch. Chicks are not born with the yellow crests on their heads.

Conservation status

Vulnerable. Pollution, climate change, overfishing, and shifts in fish populations are taking food sources away from southern rockhopper penguins. Their cousins, northern rockhopper penguins, are classified as Endangered, which is a higher risk of extinction, because they face similar food shortages in addition to introduced predators such as rats on their breeding islands.

Penguins and climate change

Rockhopper penguins have been disappearing from the southern oceans. Over the past three to four decades, their numbers have dropped dramatically. The number of northern rockhopper penguins has declined by 57 percent, and the number of southern rockhopper penguins has declined by 34 percent. Scientists surmise that climate change and the associated warming of the ocean surrounding their habitats may have caused these large population declines.

Vist me at the Aquarium

The New England Aquarium’s penguin exhibit is home to more than 80 African, rockhopper, and little blue penguins.